Block Direct external calls to extension

Hi ​@HoosierITGuy,

Please check if the extension’s call forwarding is currently set to route calls to the Auto-Receptionist. If so, kindly disable that forwarding and keep calls directed to the user’s extension instead. This will prevent calls from looping back to the Auto-Receptionist when they’re transferred to the extension.

After that, make sure to keep the custom rule enabled so that calls to the user’s direct number are still forwarded to the receptionist.

Thank you for the response.  The standard call forwarding is disabled.  Only the custom rule is enabled so I most likely have it configured wrong.  This is the custom rule.  I don’t know how to differentiate between an external direct call, a transferred call, and an internal call.

Thank you for the response.  The standard call forwarding is disabled.  Only the custom rule is enabled so I most likely have it configured wrong.  This is the custom rule.  I don’t know how to differentiate between an external direct call, a transferred call, and an internal call.

 

Thanks for the update! Since Standard Call Forwarding is currently disabled, that’s why internal and transferred calls aren’t following the behavior you expect.

To allow internal and transferred calls to go through properly, you’ll need to turn on Standard User Call Forwarding. Once that’s enabled, those call types will follow your standard settings.

Your custom rule will still apply, but only for external calls to your direct number — those will follow the custom rule conditions you’ve set.

I’m a little confused with your answers.  In your first response you said to not forward calls other than the custom rule. I responded confirming the standard call forwarding was disabled (meaning Forward All Calls).

Your above resonse says I need that enabled.  Maybe I’m lost in the terminology.

I should also note that we are set up with Direct Routing for Teams and we use Teams for all internal communication.  So, the only thing we are dealing with is getting external calls transferred to the executives while blocking external calls going directly to the executives (junk, spam, robocalls, etc.)

I found this thread that helped.  It’s talking about IVR and those options again didn’t work for me as described in the thread, but it led me in a helpful direction with the custom message.

For the moment, I went with the option to forward calls to a custom message that says to call our main number.  When the receptionist gets a call for one of the executives, she can park the call and notify the executive where to pick it up.

​@HoosierITGuy, 

To achieve the behavior you want, you’ll need to turn off the user-level forwarding to the Auto-Receptionist, while keeping Standard Call Forwarding enabled so internal and transferred calls can still reach the extension as expected. Your custom rule to block direct external calls should also remain enabled.

However, if the setup you followed from the thread is already working for you, blocking external calls while still allowing the receptionist to transfer calls to specific users, you can definitely keep your current configuration.